Following the Heart
by Raven D'Acanto
Summary: SPOILER WARNING after POTC 2... Jack is in trouble. Will is having doubts. And Elizabeth is caught in the middle of it. Guilt ridden for so many things. If she follows her heart, what will she do?
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: hey, all. I never thought I'd do a FF for POTC. But look at me now. So, I saw the 2nd movie. It's awesome. Very cool. Mega cliffhanger. The perfect thing for me to branch off'a. Mega spoilers if u haven't seen the 2nd movie. So go see it before u read this. U'll be lost, too. Heh. So ya. enjoy. Please RnR. I hope u guys like it. And we all kno wut the main focus of this is gonna be -wink-)

Elizabeth said the only thing she could manage, which was considerably more than anybody else could. "You've got to be kidding me."

All William Turner could do was glance at Elizabeth when her soft voice broke the empty silence. But he had to look away. All he could see was her… kissing _him_. His heart plummeted and he turned away abruptly; he just couldn't stand it. That image never left his mind, even when he looked at the Voodoo Queen, Tia Dalma, staring intently at him.

"Miss Elizabeth Turner, I believe," Barbossa addressed Elizabeth as kindly as he could.

"Swan," Elizabeth corrected, glancing briefly at Will. She was _supposed _to be Elizabeth Turner. But for now, she was, "Elizabeth Swan, if you please."

"My apologies, Miss Swan," Barbossa said with a small bow, "I remember now, the boy was Turner." He turned to face Will. The boy obliged by returning the stare. Anything to keep his attention off the two girls in the room, focused on him. "My memories aren't what they used to be," Barbossa continued, looking over the rest of the room, "My age is catching up to me." He spotted the two ex-members of his old crew. The queer ones. But he continued speaking, not wanting to draw attention to his dislike of having the two so near him, when they were so far back in his past. "So, what be the purpose of this quest you seven are goin' on?"

"We want to get Jack back," Gibbs said defiantly, knowing who Barbossa was, but not how cruel he could be.

"Jack Sparrow?" Barbossa asked, anger edging into his voice.

"_Capitan_ Jack Sparrow," Elizabeth corrected. She glanced at Will again, but his eyes were stubbornly fixed on Capitan Barbossa.

"So you want me to go out of my way to get back the man who shot me in the heart and took my ship from me?" Barbossa clarified, his eyes burning hot with old anger and never forgotten rivalries.

"Aye, that's it," Gibbs said with a sort of drunken nod, "He's dead, as far as we can tell."

"I won't risk myself for that good for nothing pirate," Barbossa announced angrily, crossing his arms.

"You'll do as I ask," Tia said firmly, her dark eyes penetrating into Barbossa, "Because it's thanks to me you have anyt'ing left to risk. You owe me your life and you'll do as I say. Take them to find the kraken and get Jack back. If they die while under your command, you and your little monkey will greatly regret it."

Barbossa hesitated, going over everything in his mind. He could escape the Voodoo Queen's grasp on him and become a pirate again, with his immortal body and human senses. He had everything he had ever wanted. And Jack, his monkey. They were happy now. But Tia could easily take it away from them. She had given him life again and returned Jack to him. What made him think she couldn't also take it away? He wouldn't risk it. He didn't want to go back to the deep circles of hell he had been condemned to. He looked at Will, trying his hardest not to look at Elizabeth. Elizabeth, eyeing Will out of the corner of her eye. Pintel and Ragetti, his ex-crew members, looking more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Tia, boring holes into him with her eyes. Gibbs, looking at Barbossa with considerable less contempt. Cotton, staring blankly at a wall; the harsh sun must have gotten to him. And Marty, the midget, watching everybody from a dark corner he was standing in.

Finally, Barbossa made up his mind. "Fine. I'll help ya. But after this, girl, I'm free to do as I wish."

Tia nodded, "Alright. Bring Jack back here and proof of the kraken's death, and you're free. You can do any amount of pirating as you wish, with your semi-immortality and thieving monkey."

Barbossa nodded and held out his hand for her to shake, "Agreed?"

She took his hand and shook it firmly, "Agreed."

* * *

Capitan Jack Sparrow, Capitan of the Black Pearl (now sunken), love to Elizabeth Swan (before she tricked him), and desired by all (especially now that he was a newly swallowed meal for the giant kraken). He came with many titles. And they had most recently become considerably less grand. But, as he felt himself be pushed down further into the kraken's body by its internal muscles, Jack had a plan. He held his sword tightly in his hand. This was dirty work. But it had to be done, or he would be digested. It was a brilliant plan, actually. He doubted anybody had ever thought of it before. And what would that plan be?

Slash. Slash. Slash. Cut. Cut. Cut. Just cut away at the kraken from the insides. That would make things easier for getting out. Blowing off its arms did nothing but infuriate it and give it a few wounds for it to lick after it was done doing Davy Jones' business. But Jack's plan: genius. So he held the sword tightly and began swinging it wildly. He could feel the kraken around him wince every time his sword sliced through the soft innards. This could even be easier than he had thought. And his prize for all of this? The obvious: no more kraken to go off and attack Jack again. And the second, best reward in Jack's opinion: he had his hat back! The other men's hats in Tortuga just didn't fit him as well as his old hat did. Maybe, when he got out of this beast, he would spice it up a bit. Give it a feather. And maybe even wash it. How's that for hygiene?

But now was no time to get sidetracked. Now was the time to continue his onslaught of attacks to the kraken, while it couldn't fight back. That was the best time to fight a beast that could swallow you whole, destroy your ship, and still find time to play with its victims: when it couldn't fight back. It seemed dishonest to most; attacking a man when he was down. But one: this wasn't a man, it was a beast. And two: he was Capitan Jack Sparrow, the best pirate of all the Spanish Mane, and it didn't get much more dishonest than that. So he had nothing to lose. Except his life. But he wouldn't.

The kraken let out a cry of pain that vibrated all through Jack's body. That's the ticket. Just keep attacking. Slash, slash. Cut, cut. This was easy! He would be out of here in no time! The kraken let out another cry and surged through the water, shaking Jack a little and causing him to stop his entourage of attacks. But he gained his ground again and continued his attacking, trying to find the weakest point in the kraken.

Finally, the kraken slowed its descent into the dark depths of the ocean and drifted towards the land. Maybe if it could find an underwater cave by that island near by, it would be able to stop and figure out what this burning pain was. Too late. Jack cut a hole through the kraken managed to squeeze his way out before the water rushed in. The kraken felt its body fill with the cold water. It normally didn't notice the uncomfortably cold water, thanks to its thick skin. But it realized how cold it really was, and how easily it could consume a being, no matter how large, as it felt its whole body fill with the dark water. The kraken began to seep deeper into the ocean, no longer with enough strength to fight against the water and it burning pain inside of it. It fell deeper into the ocean and the black, empty water flowed in around it and consumed it.

Jack swam in the opposite direction the kraken was falling, assuming it was up. This deep into the ocean, it was almost impossible to tell which way was which. If only he still had his compass. But Elizabeth had it. He continued kicking, pushing his way closer and closer to the surface. He could see the light now. Elizabeth had the compass. Why had he ever given it to her? Elizabeth. He saw blackness edging over the corners of his eyesight. Elizabeth. He was going to black out. Elizabeth. Finally, his vision faded and he saw nothing but black. He would probably die at sea. Like a true pirate. Will was a lucky lad. He still had Elizabeth's heart.


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: kinda short... and it took me forever to post it. I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't think I'd ever update this thing... but I got a reply recently and I remembered that I was stuck on it... well... I'm not stuck on it nemore! and I'm starting ch 3 now. so, if nebody still cares, here's ch 2! Please RnR!)

Blackness. Nothing but blackness. What had happened? Who was he? What was going on? What was that noise?

_Yo, ho! Yo, ho! A pirates life for me!_

"I love this song!" he couldn't help but say. He actually said it, but all he heard was a tiny mumble.

_We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot,  
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!_

But who was it that was singing? Where was he?

_  
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot,  
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!_

What had happened? Nothing but blackness.

_Yo ho! yo ho! a pirate's life for me!  
_

Who was he? Why were they singing?

_We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack, _

_Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho! _

His head hurt. He wanted them to stop singing.

_  
Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack,  
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho! _

"Hey you," he tried to say. But it only came out as another mumble. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he talk?

_Yo ho! yo ho! a pirate's life for me!_

"Cut it out," he blurted. But it was just another mumble. He was less comprehendible than usual. He… He… a pirate… and his name was… Why couldn't he remember? "I said cut i' out!" he shouted. His tongue seemed too big for his mouth and his lips wouldn't make the right shape to talk. He felt something wet on his face. A light breathing. He tried to open his eyes. He wanted to get rid of the blackness. He finally managed to get his eyes open. It took him a moment to get used to the light. To focus on the thing that was standing over him, breathing on him, making his face wet.

"AAAGHH!" Capitan Jack Sparrow leapt from the beachy sand he was laying on and sprung back six whole feet. The dog just sat and looked at him. "Mangy mutt," Jack muttered to himself, wiping the dog slobber from his lips. The dog gave a little yip and his tail wagged. "Wha'o you wan'?" Jack mumbled. His speech still wasn't back to normal. "Shove off," he said angrily to the dog, trying to take a step away. But his legs failed him and he plummeted to the ground.

Jack felt his body hit the sand. It didn't hurt. But his body was sore. He rolled over and tried to get up, but found the dog standing over him again. His tail was wagging and he gave another little yip. Jack pushed the dog aside and tried to stand again. He managed to get on his feet, but his legs gave out again and he collapsed to the ground. So he gave up on standing and decided to focus his attention on what had happened to him.

He found he thought best out loud. He hoped the dog wouldn't mind his mumbling. "Letsee 'here. I go' the Black Pearl back. Sailed around. Cannibals. Will. Ah yes, Will. The treasure chest. What was in the treasure chest? No matter. What else? Elizabeth. The betrayer. How could she? Why did she? What was the threat? Damn. Can't remember." He stuck his head in his hands and closed his eyes. Why couldn't he remember? What had happened to Will? He was gone for a while. That was when Elizabeth had come. She asked about him. What did I say? "The compass!" Jack burst out. "I need that compass!" Tia could help. He saw Tia earlier, didn't he? Why?

But Jack couldn't dwell on the questions. He needed to find the compass and get whatever was in that treasure chest (he knew it was something important) and get the Black Pearl back! _The Black Pearl's gone_. Why? Why was the Pearl gone? What had happened? Where was his ship!

The dog barked. Why did the dog bark? Jack turned to look at it. It started barking again. He followed the direction the dog was barking and saw something he never thought he'd see again. "No. No. Not good. Not good!" He jumped to his feet and found he really _did_ have the energy to run. "Cannibals! Why is it always Cannibals?" The dog was hot on his heel, running for his life, too. Then Jack remembered where he had seen the dog before. It was the dog with the keys! He remembered seeing it when he was running away from the Cannibals last time! He was escaping to the Black Pearl and the dog was on the beach, too. _Why is the Pearl gone?_ But that meant he was back on that island again. _Why had he gone to the island in the first place?_ Damn this island. How would he get off, now? _Why couldn't he remember?_

1234567890 ((A/N: the break won't work. this is where it goes))

Governor Swan and Norrington were alike in only one way: they both liked Elizabeth. But Norrington was losing his love for Elizabeth, and Swan was just plain losing. Governor Swan was a good and noble man. He worked hard for everything he believed in and did everything in his power to protect his daughter and his people… even if it meant giving himself in to a disgusting man like Cutler Beckett. Norrington, on the other hand, would do anything to get himself back into power. It hurt, for him to admit it. But he knew it was true. Then he remembered something he had said a long time ago, to a certain Jack Sparrow, _"By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself."_ He had, of course, been talking about his chance to take the Black Pearl. How had things gone so wrong?

"It's good to see you again, Commodore Norrington," Governor Swan said in his unsure, shaky voice.

"I am no longer a Commodore, Governor Swan," Norrington said with a sigh, "I am only James Norrington, now. Nothing more, nothing less."

Swan nodded solemnly and replied, "Well, it appears I am no longer Governor, either. So, I suppose we're even."

"Why?" Norrington asked quietly, not able to find any other words because of his shock. It would take a lot to take Mr. Swan's title of Governor away from him.

"I only want my daughter back," Swan answered quietly, the strain showing clearly on his face, "and I want her away from those dreadful pirates."

"No worries, then," Norrington replied with a slight nod, "I have given Beckett what he wanted. Very soon, I'm sure Elizabeth will be back home."

"That's good to hear," Mr. Swan said, although his worry didn't seem to lessen at all.

"Mr. Norrington," Cutler Beckett called from the door, "It is time to complete our agreement, so that I may be done with you."

The only reply Norrington gave as he crossed the small room was, "I'm looking forward to it." And with that, he was gone.


End file.
